Thanks to a modern-day take on detachable cuffs and collars from Thomas Pink, you can now get the equivalent of two or even three shirts for one.
December 29, 2006
December 28, 2006
Way Too Funky
James Brown, the hardest working man in showbiz, will not long be forgotten. But his attempt to channel Freddie Mercury ought to be.
December 26, 2006
December 22, 2006
Antidisestablishmentarianism
From what Washington Post movie reviewer Stephen Hunter writes, the Good Shepherd sounds like it will be a holiday treat for the clothes-minded:
[Matt Damon’s character] is from one of those old families — you know, the ones who knew everybody, got the best jobs and knew which wine went with which course. Ever notice their lapels? They never bunched up when they sat down, like yours or mine did. They had drape, and that’s the giveaway right there….
As anthropology and archaeology, the film is first-class. If old WASP high Anglican haberdashery was the dullest, tweediest cavalcade of threads ever conceived, the movie certainly understands this. The suits fit beautifully and look like mud on asphalt, the shoes are both shiny and dull, nobody has the wit to wear a Burberry but only those sacklike London Fog single-breasted raincoats and the little ’50s small-brimmed hat, usually with the tail feather of a Bavarian woodcock in the band. Color? These guys never heard of it!
December 21, 2006
Poofy Galore
The New York Times is claiming that big puffy parkas especially those by their originator, Moncler, are popular again. While they certainly are functional (except for keeping your legs warm), unless you happen to be living in Novosibirsk, Izzy doens’t think there’s any reason to look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
December 20, 2006
Don’t Like Women? You’ll Love Our Sweaters
According to this very retro advertisement:
Men are better than women! Indoors, women are useful, even pleasant. On a mountain they are something of a drag. So don’t go hauling them up a cliff just to show off your Drummond climbing sweaters….
Belted sweaters and misogyny—a match made in hell.
The Gentleman in the Gray Flannel Suit
In case you were still planning on getting Izzy a gift for Channukah, the fine folks at Paul Stuart will surely be happy to rush delivery of this suit. In return, Izzy would be happy to put you in his will.
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December 19, 2006
Horse Sense
Sturdier and less porous than cow leather, shell cordovan, which comes from a subcutaneous layer in horses, is the ideal material for shoes meant to last forever. This pair from Alden shows off the material’s famed shiny, waxy finish. It’s too bad that cordovan’s rarity leads its price to approach that of a thoroughbred.
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December 14, 2006
NYPD Cool
Izzy doesn’t have much need for legible t-shirts, since he wears them only to the gym. He was amused, nonetheless, to find this retro t-shirt being sold by official shop of the New York City Police Department.
In New York, even the cops are ironic hipsters.
December 13, 2006
Bring in the Cavalry
Should winter ever actually arrive, some heavyweight trousers will no doubt be in order. This pair from Brooks Brothers is made of one of Izzy’s favorite fabrics: cavalry twill, a hard-wearing wool cloth of military origin that’s perfect for running an empire. Made of a steep double twill, the fabric must be seen in person to be fully appreciated.
It’s not exactly “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” but as the limerick has it:
As the crusty old Colonel admitted,
It’s to cavalry twill he’s committed:
Woollen fabric that’s tough,
So he chooses the stuff
When his trousers are tailored and fitted.
December 12, 2006
Hip Hop Liberace
The only thing worse than the piano-key necktie, worn by a certain Jonathan “J. R.” Rotem, a music producer who apparently is Britney Spears’ latest “catch.”
December 11, 2006
Still Unforgiven
With an ill-fitting collar (of what looks like a casual, not a dress, shirt) that emphasizes his gizzard, together with a frumpy, tight-at-the-waist jacket, Clint Eastwood looks ready to be put out to pasture. Ken Watanabe, on the other hand, is a paragon of vigor in a sharp pin-stripe suit, windsor collar, and pocket square.